2019 Federal Pay Raise Calculator
Estimate your 2019 federal salary increase using the official 1.4% across the board base pay raise plus locality pay adjustments. Choose a locality area or enter custom rates to compare your 2018 and 2019 pay with clean, instant results.
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Expert Guide to the 2019 Federal Pay Raise Calculator
The phrase 2019 federal pay raise calculator usually refers to a tool that estimates how much a federal employee earned after the 2019 General Schedule pay adjustment took effect. While many people casually call it a 1.9% federal raise, the exact answer depends on what type of pay you are measuring. In 2019, most General Schedule employees received a 1.4% across the board increase to base pay, and then locality pay rates were updated separately. That is why one employee might describe the raise as 1.4%, another as about 1.9%, and another person as a completely different amount in dollars. All three can be correct depending on whether they are discussing base pay, average overall pay, or pay in a specific locality area.
This calculator is designed to make that distinction clear. It starts with your 2018 annual basic pay, applies the official 1.4% 2019 base increase, and then compares your estimated total salary using 2018 and 2019 locality rates. That method gives you a more realistic side by side look at what changed from one year to the next. If you work in a high locality area such as San Francisco or Washington, DC, the dollar impact may be larger than someone in the Rest of U.S. locality, even though the underlying base raise is the same percentage.
How the 2019 raise was structured
Federal pay in 2019 was not simply a flat 1.9% raise for everyone. The structure had two parts:
- Base General Schedule increase: 1.4%
- Average locality adjustment effect: approximately 0.5%
- Average combined increase: roughly 1.9%
The important word is average. Locality pay is not identical nationwide. OPM publishes separate salary tables for each locality pay area, and those rates changed in 2019. As a result, your total federal compensation may have risen by a different effective percentage than the national average. That is why a calculator that asks for locality or allows custom locality percentages is more useful than a basic percentage tool.
| Metric | 2018 | 2019 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across the board GS base pay increase | Applies from prior table | 1.4% | Official statutory adjustment used in 2019 pay tables |
| Average total federal pay increase | Varies by locality | About 1.9% | Base raise plus average locality effect |
| Biweekly pay periods | 26 | 26 | No change for annual conversion |
| Hourly conversion commonly used for GS annual rates | 2,087 hours | 2,087 hours | Used for annual to hourly estimates |
Why locality pay matters so much
Federal employees are often surprised to learn that two people at the same GS grade and step can have different total salaries because they work in different geographic areas. Locality pay is intended to help federal compensation align more closely with nonfederal labor markets in each region. When locality percentages change from one year to the next, your total raise is not just the 1.4% base adjustment. It is the combination of the base increase and your locality factor.
For example, if your 2018 base pay was $50,000, your 2019 base pay after a 1.4% increase would be $50,700. If you were in Rest of U.S., your estimated total salary would then reflect the updated locality percentage for that area. If you were in San Francisco, the same base pay would be multiplied by a much larger locality rate, producing a larger final salary and therefore a larger dollar increase. This is why federal workers often compare both base pay and adjusted pay when reviewing annual raises.
| Example locality area | 2018 locality rate | 2019 locality rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rest of U.S. | 15.67% | 16.20% | Used for many employees outside named metro areas |
| Washington, DC | 28.22% | 29.32% | One of the largest federal workforces |
| New York | 32.13% | 33.98% | Higher cost labor market area |
| San Francisco | 39.28% | 40.35% | Among the highest locality adjustments |
| Los Angeles | 28.57% | 30.16% | Large jump due to locality schedule update |
How to use this calculator correctly
- Enter your 2018 annual basic pay, not your locality adjusted salary.
- Select your locality area if listed. If your exact area is not listed, choose Custom locality percentages and enter the rates that apply to your location.
- Choose how you want to view the result: annual, monthly, biweekly, or hourly equivalent.
- Click Calculate 2019 Pay Raise.
- Review the output cards showing 2018 base pay, 2019 base pay, 2018 total adjusted pay, 2019 total adjusted pay, and your estimated increase.
The chart can also help you understand whether your gain came mostly from the 1.4% base adjustment or from the change in locality pay. This is especially useful if you are comparing a payroll estimate against an SF-50, a leave and earnings statement, or an OPM salary table.
Sample 2019 raise calculation
Assume an employee had $60,000 in 2018 basic pay and worked in the Washington, DC locality area. A clean estimate would look like this:
- 2018 base pay: $60,000
- 2018 locality adjusted pay: $60,000 x 1.2822 = $76,932
- 2019 base pay after 1.4% increase: $60,000 x 1.014 = $60,840
- 2019 locality adjusted pay: $60,840 x 1.2932 = $78,679.49
- Estimated annual increase: $1,747.49
Notice that the total increase in dollars is not simply 1.9% of the original base salary. Instead, the increase comes from applying a higher base amount and then a locality multiplier. This is exactly why an interactive calculator is valuable. It captures the layered math in a way a flat percentage estimate cannot.
What this calculator does and does not include
This tool is focused on the 2019 pay change for General Schedule style salary comparisons. It is useful for a quick estimate, but you should understand its boundaries.
- Included: 2018 to 2019 base pay comparison, locality adjusted estimate, annual to monthly or biweekly conversions, and visual comparison chart.
- Not included: overtime, premium pay, recruitment incentives, retention incentives, special salary rates, law enforcement availability pay, cost of benefits, tax withholding, retirement deductions, or exact agency payroll quirks.
If you are in a category with special pay systems, this calculator can still provide a directional estimate, but the official salary tables and payroll documents should always control. For exact federal compensation research, consult the Office of Personnel Management and the relevant executive order and salary tables.
Common questions about the 2019 federal raise
Was the 2019 federal pay raise really 1.9%?
On average, yes. But the actual base pay increase was 1.4%. The 1.9% figure refers to the average combined effect once locality pay adjustments are considered.
Do all federal workers use the same locality rate?
No. Locality depends on your official duty station and pay area. Employees in named metro localities generally receive different percentages than employees in Rest of U.S.
Should I enter my adjusted salary or my base salary?
Enter your base salary for the cleanest result. The calculator applies locality separately so you can see where the change comes from.
How can I verify my result?
Cross check it against the official 2019 OPM salary tables and your agency payroll information. A good estimate should track closely if your inputs are correct.
Authoritative federal pay resources
If you want to verify your numbers or review official pay schedules, start with these sources:
- OPM 2019 General Schedule salary tables
- OPM locality pay area definitions for 2019
- GovInfo official federal publication database
Bottom line
A strong 2019 federal pay raise calculator should do more than multiply a salary by 1.9%. It should separate base pay from locality adjusted pay, let you choose a locality area, and show the result in a format that matters to your budgeting process. Whether you are checking a past payroll change, estimating annual income for planning, or comparing federal compensation across locations, the right calculator provides a more accurate picture of what actually changed in 2019.
The calculator above is built for that purpose. Enter your 2018 basic pay, select your locality area, and you will get a practical estimate of your 2019 salary increase with a chart and clear result breakdown. For final confirmation, always compare your estimate against the official OPM pay tables and your agency payroll records.